Ardella Mae (Nelson) Hefta

On July 30, Ardella Hefta peacefully passed away at her Grand Forks home. Ardella was born in Mayville, ND to Clarence and Cora Nelson. She grew up on the family homestead east of Mayville. Ardella attended Lindaas School in Traill County, Mayville High School, and did a short course at Mayville State Teachers College to get basic teacher credentials. She taught country school for a semester but then found a bookkeeper position at the Mayville Elevator There she met the love of her life, Allen Hefta, who was working as a farmhand in Portland. They married in October 1954 and lived in Mayville, Portland, Hatton, and Perley, MN before moving to Grand Forks in 1965. Ardella stayed busy raising 8 children, embracing thriftiness, cleaning, gardening, and cooking outstanding healthy meals. Allen and Ardella were married for 67 years before Allen passed away in 2022.

Ardella loved being outside and physical activities. She enjoyed daily walks, lawn work, gardening, weeding, preserving fruits and vegetables, Bible study, family, and, to the end, cleaning(really!). She was a regular attendee at UND sports (football, basketball and volleyball) and loved to play badminton into her 80’s. She was an active member of University Lutheran Church and had a cherished group of friends that played cards and helped with the annual Rhubarb Festival. Six days before her death, she picked raspberries and walked a half-mile with her walker.

Ardella leaves behind her children, Kerry Hefta (David Crawford) of Colorado Springs, CO, Kristine Brindle (Richard) of Castle Rock, CO, Julie Harris (Allan) of Grand Forks, ND, Dean Hefta of Mayville, ND, Greg Hefta (Lori) of Crookston, MN, and Mark Hefta (Laura) of Parker, CO. She loved her 13 grandchildren, Eric Brindle (Billings, MT), Adam Brindle, (Billings, MT), Joseph Brindle (Midvale, UT), Ingrid, Signe, and AnnaLiese Hefta (all of Mayville), Torin Harris, (Fort Collins, CO), Kaija Harris (Denver, CO), Kathryn Hefta (Gillette, WY), Michael Hefta (St. Cloud, MN), Rachel Hefta (Grand Island, NE) and Jon and Martin Hefta (both in Parker, CO). She has six great grandchildren, Cora, Lukas, and Samuel Brindle (Billings, MT), Avonlea Brindle (Midvale, UT), Kendra Hefta (St Cloud, MN) and Peter Brindle (Billings, MT). She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen A Hefta, and two sons, Arlen Hefta (Sonja) of Mayville, and Ross Hefta of Kingsport, TN, one sister, Carol Roberts, two brothers, Norlin and Donald Nelson and many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

A funeral at University Lutheran Church in Grand Forks is planned for Tuesday September 2, 2025  at 11:00 am. with a lunch reception following.

Memorial gifts can be made to Grand Forks Hospice, University Lutheran Church or the University of North Dakota Foundation